Gqeberha, South Africa, 20 June 2022 – The Coega Development Corporation (CDC), the operator and developer of the 9003ha Coega Special Economic Zone (SEZ), announced today that it will be attending this year’s Manufacturing Indaba at the Sandton Convention Centre, north of Johannesburg on 21-22 June 2022.
The 23-year old Coega SEZ has a successful manufacturing zone that has attracted large manufacturers from all over the world, says Ms. Asanda Xawuka, CDC’s Executive Manager of Business Development (SEZ Services).
Some of the companies located at Coega include Dynamic Commodities (DC), which has been at the Coega SEZ for more than 12 years and exports their products to several markets throughout the world with household products such Island Sorbet, Pepaby’s, Frozen Fruit and Bits O’ juice to mention but a few.
Coega’s advanced capabilities and experience in industrial development and building the manufacturing base for global companies has made the SEZ one of the leading industrial estates, with a focus on real assets management, infrastructure planning, and property development and maintenance. Furthermore, Coega understands that investors and manufacturers of the future will focus more on sustainable investment and manufacturing processes which embrace Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As a result, Coega puts the sustainability agenda at the forefront of driving business growth and has established a new Sustainability Office to propel this mission, says Telly Chauke, CDC’s Chief Sustainability Officer.
“The reality of modern-day industrial development is that investors are looking to make sustainability-driven investment choices and maximise returns on diverse value chains. Whilst traditionally, the manufacturing sector is both labour and input intensive; global sustainability imperatives are driving a ‘dematerialisation’ agenda and focusing on enhancing efforts to reduce the cost of material and process inputs such as water and energy consumption, whilst reducing the production of waste. The new world of manufacturing also heralds an upscaled application of automation and standardisation across various manufacturing processes, ushering in a wave of opportunities to capitalise on artificial intelligence; materials recovery and ultimately ramped up productivity. Coega, in its sustainability drive, aims to create an investment environment that aligns to global shifts in the drivers of industrial transformation to net zero emissions and resource efficiency. Whilst the CDC continuous to provide products and services that promote responsible investment; it is also in the process of packaging a suite of advisory products that guide and support both existing and new investors, clients and partners in achieving sustainability outcomes as enshrined in both domestic and global policy mechanisms for climate change mitigation and sustainable development,” adds Chauke.
Therefore, the Manufacturing Indaba is an excellent opportunity for the CDC to promote partnerships for the purpose of projects, create brand awareness, and position the Coega Special Economic Zone (SEZ), as the preferred investment destination and a gateway to global markets, leapfrogging the promotion of manufacturing in the SEZ to ensure sustainability, inclusive economic growth, and socio-economic development. This is in line with the CDC’s vision of being a leading catalyst for championing of socio-economic development.
“I’ll be participating in the panel that will be focusing on Growing IDZs and SEZs and their role post COVID-19 Pandemic economic recovery. Our experience in SEZ development and operations has seen Coega grow in leaps and bounds. It is certainly my intention to share some of our experiences with the MI delegates,” says Vuyokazi Gwabeni, CDC’s Business Development Manager.
The Manufacturing Indaba is known as the leading manufacturing event in Sub-Saharan Africa and will take place under the theme Reigniting Economic Growth Through Manufacturing. According to leading research institutions, the manufacturing sector in South Africa could reach US Dollars $666.4 billion by 2030.
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